House Panel Votes to Require Cameras in Special Education Classrooms

The fire, the vote, the triumph — when it happens, Decorah News shows up. Support us being there. In their final meeting before the first deadline of the 2026 legislative session, the House Education Committee moved forward measures Wednesday requiring cameras to be installed in special education classrooms and allowing firearms on school premises, among other topics. House File 2218, approved in a 14-9 vote, would require public and charter schools install video recording systems in each special education classroom at school facilities. The bill requires these systems and recordings created "must be consistent" with state and federal privacy laws, and states the cost of installing these would be paid for by school districts from state School Foundation Aid. Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny said she had "incredibly mixed feelings about the bill," but said she believes "it's important that we both protect kids and teachers." There are several issues with the bill as written that were brought up by speakers during the subcommittee meeting on the measure, she said, which have not been addressed through an amendment. "We don't have definitions in this bill of what a special education classroom actually looks like, kids are all over the building," Matson said. "There's no guidance in here on use, retention, or destruction, or confidentiality related to any video recordings. We don't know how this would actually impact therapeutic classrooms, which is a totally different environment. And we also don't have any idea of cost." Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola, said she planned to work with school districts and others like Matson to make clarifying changes in the bill as it moves forward, and added "we have great ideas for addressing the fiscal issue." Guns at school pickups and dropoffs House File 621, approved in a 17-6 vote, would allow individuals to have firearms in their vehicles while on school grounds when picking up or dropping off a child. The measure would not apply to students, but would allow weapons and ammunition to be carried in passenger compartments school vehicles, like school buses, in cases such as transportation to a trap shooting event. Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield, said the measure was important to ensure parents lawfully carrying weapons do not face felony charges for breaking the law unintentionally by not leaving their firearm at home while picking up or dropping of their child at school. "The bottom line here is that parents do not shed their Second Amendment rights when they drive into a school parking lot," The bill was amended to include language specifying "how this law would apply in an emergency circumstance," as well as removing a reference to gun permits, a requirement which was removed in a 2021 law. Matson said she understood why the amendment was presented, but said she believed in "the importance of permits for firearms, especially if they're going to be around children in schools," and encouraged requiring a permit for carrying in these circumstances. Overall, Matson said while she understood the argument of "wanting to not unintentionally make people felons," she said she did not support expanding the ability to bring weapons near schools. "I strongly believe that we should continue to do everything in our power to not have firearms on school property," Matson said. Charter school funding changes The House committee also approved House Study Bill 676, Gov. Kim Reynolds' proposal making changes to funding for charter schools. It would direct certain funds currently going to public school districts where a student resides to the charter school they attend, specifically for the teacher salary supplement costs of the state's per-pupil funding rate, in addition to funding for Area Education Agencies services, including special education services. A similar bill to this measure, Senate File 2175, was also approved by the Senate Education Committee Wednesday. The measure also eliminates "innovation zone schools" from Iowa Code and ensures charter school students can participate in extracurriculars, sports, and drivers' education programs within the public school district where they reside. Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, said she had multiple issues with the measure. She disputed the need for the teacher salary supplement funding to follow a student to a charter school, "when there's not even a requirement that founding charter schools pay minimum teacher's salary amounts." Kurth also said the additional funding changes – and requirements for public school districts to take on other provisions for students – will mean charter schools will be getting more funding while having to provide fewer services. Don't miss a beat! Subscribe for free and receive the stories, insights, and events that keep your community thriving. Rep. Dan Gehlbach, R-Urbandale, argued "charter schools are public schools," and that the measure "just lines up the funding" to reflect this fact.